Spinning machine



June 20, 1944. A. LODGE SPINNING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25,1941

' INVENT OR. BY ALVIN LUDEE Patented June 20, 1944 v SPINNING MACHINE Alvin Lodge, Meadville, Pa, assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, DeL, a corpo-- ration of Delaware Application October 25, 1941, Serial No. 416,491 (ems-s) 9Claims. This invention relates to improvements in spinning machines used in the formation of synthetic yarns and filaments by the dry spinning process. In the manufacture of synthetic yarns and filaments by the dry spinning process, a spinning solution is extruded into a spinning tube 'where the'thread or filament is formed; A current of heated gaseous medium, usually air, is

passed through the spinning. tube during the spinning operation to 'remove the solvent as it is evaporated from the spinning solution. In commercial practice a large number or battery of spinning tubes is arranged in a spinning machine. In order to produce uniform yarn or filaments the temperature in the tubes and the amount-of. gaseous medium passing through the tubes must be maintained uniform. The tubes are heated by a heating Jacket surrounding the tubes containing a heating medium or by preheating the gaseous medium passing through the tubes.

This invention has for its principal object to provide improvements in dryspinning machines whereby the conditions in the spinning tubes may be maintained uniform. m Another object oLthe' invention is'to provide improvements in means for introducing pre-.-

heated gaseous medium into the spinning tubes of a 'dry' spinning machine.

- a further object of the invention is to provide improvements in means for introducingfa uni-- form amount of preheated gaseous medium, at

, duct through a plurality of openings spaced along 1 the duct. Gaseous medium withdrawn from portions of the duct at a higher temperature is mixed with gaseous medium withdrawn from portions of the duct at a lower temperature and is intro duced into thetubes of the spinning machine at.

a mean temperature.' In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the gaseous medium is withdrawn from the'openings positioned nearest the inlet end of the-duct where the temperature is highest and is mixed with gaseousmedium' withdrawn from openings farthest fromthe inlet end where the temperature is lowest before being introduced into the spinning tubes.

Referring to the drawing, reference character I indicates one of a plurality or battery of spinning tubes arranged in a dry spinning machine.

The spinning tubes are of the conventional type 'in each of which a spinneret is arranged adjacent Y the top and the yarn or filament that is formed I is withdrawn through the opening 3 at the bottom. Preheated air or other gaseous medium is introduced into the spinning tubes through the pipes 2 positioned adjacent the bottom and is auniform temperature, into each of the spinning tubes of a dry spinning machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing ll lgurel is a vertical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken on the line l-l in Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Figure-'1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line HinFlgure2.,

:Where a, preheated gaseous medium is distributed to'vthe tubes of. a dry spixming machine by the ordinary-form of a manifold thetemperatureotthe gaseous medium. decreases as it flows through the manifold and it is not possibleto introduce'theygaseous'medium into all the tubes at the same temperature. "In accordance with the present invention, preheated; gaseous medium :isupasded to a dry spinning machine through along duct andiswithdrawn from the withdrawn through the pipes 4 positioned ad- Jacent the top. The preheated air is distributed to the spinning tubes by the manifold generally indicated by reference character 5. The manifold-comprises the continuous duct 6 havingthe portions I and 8 which communicatewith' the intermediate'chamber 9 through the plurality of oppositely spaced openings l0 and llpositioned along the length of the intermediate chamber. The pipes 2 are connectedto the intermediate chamber through, the sidewall at positions midway between the openings Ill and 'l l. The cross-sectional area ofthe duct gradually diminishes so that the velocity of the air passing through the duct will be substantially uniform and substantially'thesame quantity of air will pass through each of the openings I 0 and H, the duct being sufficiently large in -cross-sec-' tion so that the pressure drop in the duct issmall in comparison with the absolute pressure.

In the operation ofvthe invention, air or other gaseous medium, preheated to; a temperature above the temperature'that is desired in the spinning tubes, is introduced into the inlet i2" of the duct and passes from the portions I and l of the duct-through the openings Ill and II to the intermediate chamber and fromqthere' through the pipes 2 to the spinning tubes. Any,

excess air is discharged from the duct through theoutlet I! and after reheating may be recirculated to'the inlet end of the duct. As the air air flows into each of the spinning tubes. A plurality of small chambers, each communicating with a pair of openings l and H, and a pipe 2 may be employed instead of the single intermediate chamber or each pair of openings I0 and i i may lead directly into a pipe 2.

While 9, preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

' Iclaim:

- 1, A spinning machine comprising a plurality of spinning tubes and a duct system for distributing a gaseous medium to the spinning tubes, said system comprising two channel portions extending substantially from the first to the last of the spinning tubes, inlet means for introducing the medium into the channel portions so that it'ilows in one direction in one of th channel portions and in an opposite direction in the other, a plurality of outlets spaced along both channel portions, means for introducing the medium discharged from neighboring outlets of the two.

channel portions into the respective spinning tubes, and means for commingling the medium from the two channel portions prior to introduction into the spinning tubes.

2. A spinning machine comprising a plurality of spinning tubes and a duct system for distributing a gaseous medium to the spinning tubes, said system comprising two channel portions extendspinning tubes, inlet means for introducing the medium into the channel portions so that it flows in one direction in one of the channel portions and in arr opposite direction in the other, a chamber intermediate of the two channel portions, a plurality of outlets spaced along both channel portions and communicating with the intermediate chamber, and spaced conduits con- 11 8 substantially from the first to the last or the I spinning tubes, having decreasing cross-sectional ing substantially from the first to the last of the i areas, and arranged with the direction or decreasing area of one opposite to that of the other, inlet means for introducing'tthe medium into the large ends of the channel portions, a plurality of outlets spaced along both channel portions, means for introducingthe gaseous medium discharged from neighboring outlets of the two channel portions into the respective spinning tubes and means for commingling themedium from the two channel portions prior to introduction into the spinning tubes. a

4. A spinning machine comprising a plurality I of spinning tubes and a duct system for distributing gaseous medium to thespinning tubes, said plurality of outlets spaced along both channel portions and communicating with a common chamber, and conduit means connected to the chamber at spaced .points therealong and to the respective spinning tubes.

5. A spinning machine comprising a plurality of spinning tubes and a duct system for distributing gaseous medium to the spinning tubes, said system comprising two generally parallel channel portions extending alongside the spinning tubes, having gradually decreasing cross-sectional areasand arranged with the direction of decreasing area of one opposite to that oi the other, inlet means for introducing the medium into the large ends of the channel portions, a plurality of outlets spaced along both channel portions and communicating with a common intermediate chamber, and conduit means connected to the chamber at spaced points therealong and to the respective spinning tubes.

6. A spinning machine comprising a plurality of spinning tubes and a duct system for distributing gaseous medium to the spinning tubes, said system comprising a duct of decreasing cross-sectional area and .turned back on itself to provide two generally parallel channel portions with the small end of the second portion opposite the large end of the first portion, an inlet for the medium at the large end of the duct, a. chamber intermediate the two portions of the duct, outlets spaced along the two portions of the duct and communicating with the intermediate chamber,

and spaced conduits connected to the inter- 7. A method of distributing a preheated gaseous medium to a plurality of positions comprising passing the medium in opposite directions through two neighboring channel portions, withdrawing gaseous medium from adjacent points of the two channel portions at spaced intervals therealong, commingling the medium thus withdrawn from the two channel portions at each interval and conducting the commingled medium to the respective positions of distribution. 8. A method of distributing a preheated gaseous mediumto a plurality of positions comprising passing the medium in opposite directions through two neighboring channel portions having decreasingcross-sectionin the direction 'of flow, withdrawing gaseous medium from adjacent points of the two channel portions at spaced intervals therealong, commingling the medium thus withdrawn from the two channel portions at each interval and conducting the commingled medium to the respective positions of distribution.

9. A method of distributing a preheated gaseous medium to a plurality of spinning positions comprising passing the medium in opposite directions through two neighboring channel portions thus Withdrawn from the two channel portions at each interval and conducting the commingled medium to the respective spinning positions.

. r ALVIN LODGE. 

